Maxine L. Johnson, 84, of Austin, Minnesota, died Friday, Nov. 30, 2018, at the Adams Health Care Center in Adams, Minnesota.

Maxine was born July 17, 1934, in Duluth, Minnesota, to Gunnar and Bernice (Larson) Lexen. She graduated from Denfield High School in Duluth in 1952.

Maxine married Howard Johnson on July 17, 1954, at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity in Duluth. They moved to Austin in 1961. Maxine and Howard were long-term members at Grace Lutheran Church in Austin. She was a homemaker while her children were young, and then entered the retail world after they started school. She worked many years at Kmart and later at a quilting store during her retirement. While employed with the Kmart Corporation, she received numerous awards for outstanding customer care and was selected as the Sunshine Winner Recipient for best friend and co-worker by her peers.

Maxine enjoyed quilting, gardening, and loved flowers. Reading was a passion of hers and she loved helping her neighbors and friends. Maxine’s family meant the world to her and she loved being with them. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren always put a smile on her face! She was extremely proud of all the accomplishments of her family and she supported them in every way. Maxine enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and she loved being at the lake “up north,” vacationing there every summer. In the winter, she and Howard enjoyed snowmobiling.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gunnar and Bernice Lexen.

Maxine is survived by her husband, Howard Johnson, Austin; children, Gerri (Greg) Enright, Duluth, Laura Wilde (Ann), Wayzata, Minnesota, and Greg Johnson, Austin; seven grandchildren, Jason (Stephanie) Kiefer, Rochester, Minnesota, Mark (Jana) Kiefer, Duluth, Jonathon Enright (Laura Dack), Hermantown, Minnesota, Christina Enright (Ben Dulski) Plymouth, Minnesota, Heather (Shawn) Geerts, Rochester, Daniel (Andrea) Wilde, Crystal, Minnesota, and Brent (Megan) Wilde, Austin; 13 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Carolyn (Dennis) Zarn, Culpeper, Virginia; and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, at Grace Lutheran Church with Pastor Patrick Ziems officiating.  Visitation will be from 4:30-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary and for one hour before the service on Thursday at the church. Interment will be at Park Hill Cemetery in Duluth at a later date. Memorials may be designated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 1711 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413.